Judge Dismisses Domino Challenge
Yesterday a State Supreme Court judge dismissed a lawsuit that a community group had brought against the development of the Domino Sugar site on the Williamsburg waterfront. CPC Resources, the developer of the 2,200-unit project along with Isaac Katan, said in a statement that it was “gratified” by the decision and that “initial residential development…
Yesterday a State Supreme Court judge dismissed a lawsuit that a community group had brought against the development of the Domino Sugar site on the Williamsburg waterfront. CPC Resources, the developer of the 2,200-unit project along with Isaac Katan, said in a statement that it was “gratified” by the decision and that “initial residential development on the upland parcel is slated to break ground in 2012.” The community group’s suit argued that the developer failed to conduct an adequate environmental review of the site. The Brooklyn Paper reports that the group is considering filing an appeal of the dismissal.
Judge Says ‘Domi-YES’ [BK Paper]
Huge Domino Sugar Plan Clears Last Hurdle [Crain’s]
State Supreme Court Rejects ‘Domino Sugar’ Lawsuit [NY Post]
Here’s the issue: rezoning a swath that large should be carefully considered; it was not. Most developers and their city planning enablers see Williamsburg as a Manhattan suburb. It has the potential to be mixed use. The site was bought for a price that assumed manufacturing, so to have rezoned it for mixed use and provided space for things like hotels, art storage, manufacturers on the waiting list of the Navy Yard, etc… in addition to their beloved amenity-filled condos would have been wiser and have created jobs in the neighborhood so that everyone wasn’t piling onto subways going to Manhattan.
I’m always amazed by the idiots in the mornings @ Bedford who stand and wait by the Bedford entrance to the platform. The front of the L is always much more crowded than it is back by the Driggs end.
Wine Lover must have a different definition of “rush hour” (but then again the Williamsburg he lives in always seems to be nicer, cleaner, happier and generally well above average).
My rush hour is a little before 8:00 am – and the JMZ is standing room only at that time. On rare occasions, there is a seat or two available when I get on at Marcy. On equally rare occasions, the train is too crowded to get on. And over the past year or so, the JMZ has definitely become more crowded.
If I have to ride the L in the morning (and I do my very best not to), it is usually a bit later – between 9 and 10 – and usually requires letting at least one train go by (often more). Yes, I could probably force my way on most trains, but that is pretty unpleasant.
Evening commutes are better on the L, but even then it is almost always crowded and if there is a hiccup, it reverberates down the line. (At least now we can switch to the M at 14th and have a one train ride home.)
You must have amazing luck, arrive very early or ride a different L than me. I take it every day; if I arrive before 8:30 which I usually do it is crowded but ok. If between 8:30-9:30 it is a zoo and I generally have to wait for the 3rd train and/or spend the entire ride wedged in someone’s pits while they balance hot coffee over my head. There was a string of signal failures this winter in February and March that caused delays 2-3 times a week for me. I agree the JMZ has never been crowded on those times I took it, even when the L was down it was acceptable and I agree that the 4/5/6 sucks, but at least there is some relief in distant sight for east siders. I fully welcome the Domino development, but the impact on transportation will be an issue.
“i always get on, never that crowded, and haven’t seen service problems in ages.”
when do you ride the L?
i always have to let at least one train go by during morning rush @ bedford. afternoon rush is fine though
the jmz is not over crowded. always get a seat even at rush hour. i have no problems with the L either. i always get on, never that crowded, and haven’t seen service problems in ages. any subway line can have a service problem obviously. the whole 456 line is way worse, and yet massive condo buildings get built on the UES.
domino will get built. happy to see the waterfront developed. it’s way better than dumbo with it’s pollution, noise and surrounding projects.
So it should be approved once we build another tunnel/bridge for a new subway line to Manhattan?
Got it.
“I don’t think it’s so much NIMBY as it is that the public transit options are severely lacking in the area as it is.”
I never really thought the JMZ was that bad, and they can help that by running more trains, but the L is approaching maximum capacity. They can’t run any more trains than they are and each time there is a brief delay or signal problem it causes insane pile up of bodies on the Bedford platform. The water taxi works for people with jobs in the FiDi, so of the maybe 4000 residents coming online in this development alone, you are looking at maybe 3500 more bodies at the L and JMZ.
Its a long way from the L though – maybe the plan is to improve JMZ service? Its going to get ugly.
“I don’t think it’s so much NIMBY as it is that the public transit options are severely lacking in the area as it is.”
sounds like everyone is hoping the water taxi service will take care of all the transit problems – which it won’t